Hitaashee and Pranavi make the cut in La Sella

Alicante (Spain), Sep 20 (PTI) Pranavi Urs and Hitaashee Bakshi were the only Indians to make the halfway cut at the La Sella Open in Spain, while Canadian teenager Anna Huang fired a bogey-free six-under 66 to move three shots clear at the top.

Hitaashee added one-over 73 to her first round 72 and was now one-over for 36 holes and lying Tied-36th, while Pranavi (73-73) was Tied-47th.

Ridhima Dilawari (75-72) missed the cut by one shot, while India’s other challengers this week, Avani Prashanth (78-70), Diksha Dagar (73-75), Vani Kapoor (78-71) and Tvesa Malik (71-78) were further down and also missed the cut, which fell at two-over.

Pranavi had three birdies, two bogeys and a double, while Hitaashee had two birdies, one bogey and a double bogey.

The two Indians will play their home event, the Hero Women’s Indian Open in less than three weeks, so a good show will be important for them.

France’s Nastasia Nadaud sits in solo second place on 11-under-par after a round of 67 (-5) on day two at La Sella.

Singapore’s Shannon Tan is in outright third place on seven-under-par after a round of 68 (-4) which included one dropped shot and five birdies.

Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley share fourth place at the midway mark on six-under-par.

Iturrioz, who won the inaugural La Sella Open in 2023, fired a round of 66 (-6) which included a run of five birdies in a row.

Australia’s Rudgeley went bogey-free on day two making birdies on the third, fourth, seventh, eighth and 11th holes to be T4.

Four players are in a share of sixth place with Italy’s Alessandra Fanali, Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Wales’ Lydia Hall all on five-under-par.

One shot further back are the quartet of Ireland’s Lauren Walsh, Italy’s Alessia Nobilio, Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjäll and England’s Amy Taylor in T10.

The cut fell at +2 with 61 players making it through to the weekend action at La Sella Golf Resort. PTI ATK